


Deprivation

by AmberBrown



Series: Earning Their Keep [24]
Category: The Musketeers (2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 22:37:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,385
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15850818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberBrown/pseuds/AmberBrown
Summary: When Athos and Porthos are late back from an assignment Aramis and d’Artagnan insist on going to rescue them. The rescue is the easy part.





	Deprivation

**Author's Note:**

> This was a little idea I had. Not much plot, just a bit of light angst and hurt/comfort.  
> If you have not read the rest of the series all you need to know is that Aramis and d’Artagnan are in an established relationship. Other stories are mentioned but you do not need to have read them.

It had been a long hard day. Standing guard, in a relatively quiet corner of the Palace grounds had been Treville’s idea of easing Aramis back into work. But the duty had been dull. The cadet, Antoine, that he had been stationed with had barely spoken to him despite his best efforts to engage in conversation. Antoine would make a good Musketeer, but he took his work very seriously. 

Aramis had tried to encourage the young man to go to the tavern on their way back to the garrison but Antoine had wanted to get back to work on his target practice. As they walked through the garrison gate the cadet had bid him a good day and marched off to the firing range.

‘Hard work?’

Aramis looked across to see d’Artagnan rubbing down a couple of the horses.

‘He’s so serious, we need to get him drunk,’ said Aramis as he wandered across to his lover. ‘How’s the shoulder, I hope you’re not overdoing it?’

‘It’s fine,’ replied d’Artagnan with a roll of his eyes. 

Aramis watched him for a few seconds trying to work out if the younger man was hiding any pain. D’Artagnan’s shoulder injury was healing well but had not been helped when he had become involved in the rescue of a group of young men in danger of being sold into slavery a couple of weeks before. 

‘It’s really fine…’ said d’Artagnan in exasperation. 

Aramis hid a smile, it was usually him that lied about how much pain he was in. He could tell d’Artagnan was not pain-free, but he did appear to be much improved. One of the men they had rescued had given Aramis the ingredients to a balm that helped to ease the pain the gunshot wound had caused. The balm had helped to ease the symptoms dramatically and they had enjoyed the sessions where Aramis had administered it. 

‘If you say you’re fine, I believe you, but I still think you’re working too hard,’ said Aramis maintaining a serious expression.

‘I’m bored,’ admitted d’Artagnan.

Aramis nodded, ‘I know the feeling, we’ve all been there, but you were badly injured and then you aggravated it. You’re nearly there, but another few days I think…’

‘You’re loving this. You’re loving being the one who’s alright.’

Aramis looked down for a few seconds, ‘actually I’m hating it. Hating seeing you injured...stuck here, desperate to get back to full duties...when it was my fault you got shot.’

‘No it wasn’t,’ said d’Artagnan, pausing his work of brushing the horse.

‘Yes it was,’ continued Aramis quietly. 

D’Artagnan sighed, ‘you said you would make it up to me - even though you don’t have to - if I let you do that, will you stop blaming yourself?’

Aramis looked up again remembering his promise. He nodded. D’Artagnan went back to brushing the horse

‘I will never stop blaming myself for getting you hurt though,’ he said injecting a tone of guilt to his voice.

D’Artagnan sighed again without looking up, ‘you’re so annoying sometimes. It wasn’t your fault, you couldn’t have predicted this would happen.’

Aramis paused for a second before continuing, ‘I wonder how you can tolerate me…’

D’Artagnan took a few seconds before he stopped brushing and turned to him. Aramis could not hide the smirk, his lover glared. Aramis could still wind the man up easily, he did not do it often but sometimes the opportunity was too good to miss. 

‘I’m going to prove to you that I am fine, right now by beating you soundly in a duel.’

Aramis watched as his lover threw the brush down and walked with purpose to the hook where his weapons belt was hanging. He wrenched his sword lose and turned raising it in a salute. 

Aramis moved back a few paces drawing his own sword. A sparring session was probably not the best thing for the recovering man to take part in, but Aramis was confident he could beat his lover quick enough to prevent him straining his shoulder. 

D’Artagnan was watching him carefully, gauging when he would make his move. Aramis nodded that he was ready with a smile. D’Artagnan continued to glare with mock annoyance. 

‘My office, now,’ said Treville from above them.

Both men looked up, Aramis knew they both looked guilty, despite not having done anything wrong. Treville raised his eyebrows at them both as they walked towards the steps. 

MMMM

D’Artagnan could tell Treville was worried about something, he had walked into the room a few paces before turning to them both. He waited for Aramis to close the door before speaking.

‘Athos and Porthos should be back by now,’ he said.

D’Artagnan glanced at Aramis unsure if they were expected to respond.

Treville continued, ‘they’ve only gone a few hours outside of the city. They should have been back this morning.’

Aramis looked confused, ‘that’s not very late, Captain. We wouldn’t generally worry about them being late until they were at least a day late.’

‘You don’t understand,’ continued Treville, ‘the information they were carrying was very sensitive. It wasn’t written down. I briefed them both yesterday afternoon. They should have reached the contact by late evening and returned at first light. They were given strict instructions that if something happened to one of them or their horses the other was to continue. They are hours late.’

Both Musketeers were silent for a few seconds as they let the news sink in. Treville was worried for a good reason. They were often involved in important missions and their associated danger. 

‘I can’t leave to look for them and I have no men to spare,’ continued Treville with a sigh. ‘I don’t know if the information has been passed on or not either...I’m actually at a lose and considering draughting in the Red Guard to help.’

After thinking for a moment Aramis shook his head and took a step forward looking Treville in the eyes.

‘It’s simple, Captain,’ said Aramis.

Treville raised his eyebrows at the marksman.

‘Athos and Porthos are late back.’

Treville nodded.

‘You are worried that something has happened to them and the information they had.’

Treville sighed and nodded again.

‘You have no one to spare to look for them-’

‘I don’t have all day Aramis, I’m missing two men.’

Aramis continued ‘-we’re worried about them as well.’

Aramis indicated himself and d’Artagnan who was watching the exchange with curiosity.

‘I’m back to full duties, again, and d’Artagnan...he’s still a bit weak with a parrying sword, but will still be better than pretty much anyone else.’

‘Are you saying I should send you two?’

‘You’re effectively down four men, two missing and two only just back on duty. D’Artagnan and I are the only men you can spare.’

‘What if you run into trouble, you said yourself that d’Artagnan is not fully fit.’

D’Artagnan did not bother to hide a look of annoyance.

‘Sorry, son, but you’re not fit,’ Treville said, patting the younger man’s left shoulder where the injury had been.

D’Artagnan spoke before Aramis could, ‘if something has happened to them, that we cannot deal with, we will return for reinforcements.’

Despite his annoyance at being told he was not fully fit, he was as worried as Aramis about their missing brothers. His lover's suggestion made sense.

Treville looked between them for a few seconds. 

‘You don’t want to get the Red Guard involved,’ continued Aramis. 

Treville considered the proposal for a few seconds. D’Artagnan could tell he was trying, and failing to come up with reasons not to send the two of them to find out what had happened to Athos and Porthos. The Captain reached a conclusion. He looked at the two Musketeers stood in front of him.

‘Do not get yourselves in trouble,’ said Treville firmly.

MMMM

After obtaining directions and a description of the contact that Athos and Porthos were to meet Aramis and d’Artagnan had quickly gathered what supplies they thought they might need and left the garrison. Aramis had topped up his medical bag saying he hoped he would not need it but wanting to be prepared just in case.

The light-hearted conversations and teasing of an hour before were forgotten. Both of them were now worried about their missing brothers. Treville had made it clear that the information their brothers had been party to was very delicate, so much so that their Captain had not even told them what it was. Their only task was to find out what had happened to the missing men and, hopefully, get them back to the garrison in one piece. 

Aramis glanced across to d’Artagnan, the younger man was trying to hide his worry but not succeeding. Athos and Porthos were always there, they should not be missing. Aramis felt the same. They were a close-knit group if one of them were hurt or in trouble, the other three would rally round. His friends had done it often enough for him. There was no option but to help them.

The town where Athos and Porthos had gone to pass on the information was only a few hours ride. Treville had explained that the men had planned to get to the town the previous night, meet the contact at midnight before spending the rest of the night in the town before returning early the following morning, at first light. Their first task, Aramis decided, would be to find their camp. It might yield some clue as to their location. Treville had also told them where the contact was to meet the Musketeers. The towns tavern would hopefully have a few regulars who might remember seeing their friends, who would have been undercover but as strangers, to the town they would likely have been noticed. 

As they reached the outskirts of the town both of their horses reacted to something. D’Artagnan’s started to pull to the right slightly causing the Musketeer to admonish the beast. 

‘Over there,’ said Aramis who had spotted what was causing the horses to react as they were. 

Well hidden from all but the most inquisitive eyes, tucked behind a dilapidated house right on the edge of the town he could see both Athos and Porthos’ horses. The beasts had been tied up at the back of the house. If one of them had not snorted and pawed at the ground Aramis doubted he would have noticed them. 

After a brief look around to see that they were not being watched, both men changed direction and let the horses lead them towards their stablemates. 

The lengthening days meant that they had arrived in the twilight, they did not want to advertise their arrive until they were ready for the townsfolk to know they were there. After tying up their horses beside those of Athos and Porthos they turned to the house.

Silently and in tune with each other they approached the door. The house was small, only one door served the building. With weapons drawn Aramis glanced at d’Artagnan who nodded that he was ready. Aramis reached for the handle of the door, turned it and pushed it open. The door swung open without any telltale squeak. D’Artagnan slipped in and scanned the room, leaning against the wall as he did so. Aramis followed taking a couple of steps forward.

The house was not occupied, but it was clear their brothers had been there and intended to return. The small bedroom, which still had a bed and reasonable mattress was topped with their bedrolls. The two men obviously intended to return to the house, sleep for a few hours and then journey back to Paris. 

‘We know they got here at least,’ said d’Artagnan as he continued to look around the two small rooms for any signs of what had become of their brothers. 

Aramis nodded, ‘let’s try the tavern,’ he said as he reached up to undo his pauldron. 

They did not intend to announce themselves as soldiers in case their presence caused the locals to become mute. If they were travellers passing through they could spend some time in the tavern without drawing too much attention to themselves. With luck, they could get the locals talking or overhear something that would help them.

D’Artagnan swung a plain cloak around his shoulders and looked across to Aramis.

‘Ready to charm the local ladies?’ he said with a determined grin.

‘You’re not so bad at that yourself,’ replied Aramis returning the grin.

They slipped back out of the house and walked into the town surreptitiously observing their surroundings as they went for any signs of their missing friends. 

MMMM

They walked purposefully through the town towards the tavern. Treville had said the contact would have met Athos and Porthos there the night before, it was the most sensible place to start their search. They would order drinks and food and try to engage the locals in conversation. 

D’Artagnan pushed the door open. The room before them was busy with people. A fire burned brightly in a large hearth. Two big dogs lay in front of the fire, a couple of young boys were sitting with them stroking their sides. The dogs seemed uninterested in any of the goings on around them. The customers were mainly male, sat around the room. Some talked quietly, huddled around tables whilst a couple of younger men were trying to get the serving girl to pay them more attention.

Aramis nodded towards an empty table before heading towards the tavern keeper. D’Artagnan settled himself at the table with his back to the wall so that he could observe the room. None of the locals were paying either of them any attention. D’Artagnan guessed they were used to strangers passing through. 

He watched Aramis talking to the tavern keeper, his lover was quick to strike up a conversation as the man gathered cups and a bottle of wine for them. At the same time as he was talking he was watching the people nearby. D’Artagnan continued to scan the room, the table next to them, hidden from his view by a wooden panel had four men talking loud enough for him to hear snatches of their conversation. It was clear they had been drinking for a while and had become louder than they perhaps intended to be.

‘It won’t last much longer,’ a gruff-voiced man said, ‘shame really, we’re only getting paid by the day…’

D’Artagnan’s attention was drawn back to the two young men trying to distract the serving girl, who had decided she had grown bored of their advances. She whistled causing the two big dogs to haul themselves up and walk towards her. The lads both backed off straight away causing several of the older men to roar with laughter. The serving girl turned on her heel and after tossing the two dogs some leftover meat from the plates she was carrying she disappeared into a back room leaving the young men watching the big dogs warily.

‘...how important the information was?’

D’Artagnan went back to listening to the men at the next table, catching the tail end of something that piqued his interest.

‘They ain’t gonna talk,’ said the gruff man.

The other man, who sounded younger continued, ‘but if we had some idea we could change our tactic.’

A third man, older than the other two spoke for the first time, ‘it’s a job, we just get on with it. Now shut up about it whilst we eat. We’re due back in twenty minutes.’

D’Artagnan signalled for Aramis not to speak as his lover approached the table with the wine. Aramis put the drinks down and pulled out a chair, sitting opposite d’Artagnan who indicated that he was listening to the table next to them. But the men had indeed gone back to talking idly about other things. 

D’Artagnan leaned forward and whispered to Aramis.

‘I think they’ve got something to do with Athos and Porthos, one of them said they have to go back in twenty minutes, I think we should follow them.’

Aramis nodded his understanding before smiling at the serving girl as she arrived with their food. 

‘Busy tonight?’ asked Aramis.

‘No more than usual, monsieur,’ she said with a flirtatious smile.

‘Careful,’ said d’Artagnan, ‘if she changes her mind she’ll set the dogs on you.’

The girl giggled, ‘those boys deserved it, been harassing me all evening. You two aren’t going to harass me now are you?’

‘Wouldn’t dream of it madam,’ said Aramis with a winning smile.

Satisfied the young woman wandered off, d’Artagnan noticed that the two young men looked annoyed that she had already turned her attention elsewhere.

They ate quickly, listening to the men at the next table, hoping to get some information that would help them to locate their brothers, but the men barely spoke again as they ate their food. 

After about fifteen minutes they heard the scrape of chairs being pushed back and the older man speaking.

‘Let’s get back then, Jean said that if they ain’t broken soon we’re to try a different tactic. Must say I’m ready to try somethin’ else. Keeping ‘em awake don’t seem to be working.’

D’Artagnan looked at Aramis who nodded, it seemed they had been lucky, the men were most likely talking about their missing brothers. D’Artagnan wondered what state they were in. Finding them quickly was now a pressing issue. 

MMMM

D’Artagnan rose from the table as the men walked out, Aramis waited a few seconds so that it was not obvious they were in a rush to follow the men. As his lover joined him d’Artagnan gestured along the road at the disappearing men.

They followed at a discreet distance, too far away to hear the men speak but close enough to get the measure of them. The younger one was about d’Artagnan’s age, but of a smaller build, he looked skinny and probably would not be difficult to overpower. The older men were all well built. The man that d’Artagnan suspected was the one with the gruff voice had a broad build, he looked like a fighter. The other two men, the older one and a fourth who had not spoken much during the meal were both of similar builds to the two Musketeers but a few inches shorter. He suspected the one that would be the hardest to deal with would be the gruff man.

The men walked through the streets quickly, hurrying to get back to wherever they were keeping Athos and Porthos. D’Artagnan was sure these were the men responsible for their brothers’ disappearance.

Aramis was checking behind them frequently, they needed to be sure that they were not being followed or had been spotted pursuing the four men from the tavern. 

The men slowed down, the two Musketeers ducked into a doorway as they looked back along the street before entering the last house. The door was closed behind them.

‘We’ll circle the house,’ said d’Artagnan.

Aramis nodded and followed as d’Artagnan led them across to the house and slipped along a narrow alleyway that separated it from the next house. 

The late hour meant that the streets had been quiet, unlike Paris which rarely had empty streets this town did not suffer from a plethora of street women or beggars. 

The back of the house was not enclosed by any wall or fencing. They were able to walk right up to the window and peer in. The room at the back was empty. D’Artagnan was about to move on when he felt Aramis’ hand on his arm stopping him. He looked back. Aramis pointed down. A dim light was coming from a small window which from the inside would have been high up on the cellar wall allowing some daylight in. But at this time of night, the light was coming from within. D’Artagnan guessed torches or candles were being used to illuminate the room. 

They crouched down and looked into the cellar. Both men were shocked at the sight that greeted them.

Their brothers were both within the cellar. Both men looked dishevelled and exhausted. The words of the men in the tavern came back to d'Artagnan. One of the men had mentioned keeping them awake. If that was the method the men had been using to extract the information it was no wonder their brothers looked exhausted. They would have been awake for getting on for two days at that point. 

The two captive men were restrained, using ropes tied around their wrists and looped around hooks on the wall. They did not have enough slack in the rope to lower their arms or sit on the floor. The men would have been uncomfortable if they had been in the same position since they had been captured. Neither man appeared injured otherwise, but if the talk in the tavern was anything to go by that might be about to change. 

Two men were sat at a table across from the Musketeers. They were playing cards, glancing across every so often. Porthos was blinking frequently, his head nodding before he closed his eyes. One of the men saw that Porthos had sagged slightly. He rose from the table, Athos watched the man with a weary expression. He did not speak. The man picked up a bucket. D’Artagnan wondered if the man was going to throw its contents at Porthos. Instead, he smashed it into the stone wall next to the sleeping man. Porthos opened his eyes and pulled away from the noise, a shocked expression on his face. His breathing was quick, it took him some seconds to calm himself down. He glanced across at Athos who did not even seem to have reacted to the treatment of his brother. 

D’Artagnan glanced at Aramis who was scowling, anger boiling within him. D’Artagnan agreed with his lover's sentiment. He returned his attention to the cellar. 

Two of the four men they had followed entered the room.

The gruff man looked at the two Musketeers for a few seconds before turning to the other men. 

‘They said anything?’

‘Not a word. I told you, they’re trained. Keeping them awake ain’t working,’ said the man who had smashed the bucket into the wall.

‘Time we changed tactics then,’ the gruff man said. ‘You two can take a break, the taverns got a good meat pie on, but don’t be long, I want you back in thirty minutes. We’ll probably need all of us to deal with them.’

‘What are we going to do?’ asked the skinny younger man.

‘Torture,’ said the man with the bucket, ‘he’s a professional, never seen anyone break as quick when he goes at them...and we get to play them off against each other.’

D’Artagnan saw Athos look at Porthos with a resigned expression. Porthos slowly shook his head. Both d'Artagnan and Aramis knew the two men would continue to hold out, even if it meant one of them being seriously injured or killed.

‘We have to get them out, now,’ said Aramis. ‘We don’t have time to get reinforcements.’

MMMM

They quickly moved to the rear door of the house. Aramis opened it a crack and listened intently when he heard nothing he opened the door wide and stepped inside followed by d’Artagnan who closed the door quietly behind them. They were in a kitchen, which was dusty from lack of use, no meals had been prepared there for some time. 

Moving forward Aramis leaned around the door looking into a hallway, he stepped back motioning for d’Artagnan to do the same when he saw the two men from the cellar emerge.

‘I’m looking forward to the pie, we can have another crack at that serving girl whilst we’re at it,’ said one of the men, Aramis recognised him as the one who had woken Porthos up.

‘You ain’t got a chance mate,’ said the second man.

They heard the front door open and close. Aramis peered around the door again before creeping forward, he paused by the cellar door for several seconds listening again. D’Artagnan had waited by the kitchen door watching for a signal to follow him. Aramis nodded towards him as he slowly opened the door. 

Aramis drew his gun. The house was on the outskirts of the town and they would be in the cellar, the chances of gunshots being heard, by anyone other than the men in the house was slim, and he wanted to neutralise the threat to their friends quickly. The big gruff sounding man would not be easy to take down without using a weapon. 

 

Silently they descended the steps which had become worn and uneven over time. With his gun ready he reached the last few steps where the cellar room opened up in front of them. 

‘What the…’

The big man did not get a chance to finish his sentence as he turned around. The gunshot wound that nestled neatly between his eyes prevented him from playing any further part. The skinny lad yelled before Aramis could silence him using his second gun. As the slight man slumped to the floor they could hear noises above them. The other two men must have heard the gunshots and shout and were coming to see what was going on. D’Artagnan moved to stand out of sight of the steps whilst Aramis reloaded his guns and moved to the far side of the room. 

‘You two shouldn’t be here,’ said Athos, his voice a little slurred. 

Porthos looked a little confused at the turn of events. Aramis guessed the fatigue was getting to his brothers. The gunshots had brought both men to full alertness. The sooner they could get them both away the better, but first, they had to deal with the remaining threat. 

The sound of boots on stone filled the room as the other two men rushed down the stairs.

Aramis fired, hitting the second men, preventing the first one from retreating easily. D’Artagnan simply stepped forward and fired his own weapon, hitting the man in the neck. It was not a clean kill, but the man would be unconscious and dead soon enough. 

‘Come on, we have to get you out before the others come back,’ said Aramis as he stepped forward to Porthos who still looked confused. 

‘Are you injured?’ asked d’Artagnan.

‘Of course not,’ snapped Athos.

D’Artagnan glanced at Aramis who shook his head as he continued to untie Porthos who sagged slightly when his arms were free.

‘Need to sit down,’ said Porthos, as he slumped towards the ground.

‘No, my friend, there’s no time for that, we have to go. We’ll get away from here, then you can sit for as long as you need.’

D’Artagnan was trying to get Athos to walk up the stairs but the swordsman was struggling as if he were drunk. The younger Musketeer grabbed Athos arm and forced him up the steps. Athos complained about the treatment, it was as if he did not know he was being rescued. 

Aramis had to be equally forceful with Porthos who was in danger of simply crumpling to the floor. The lack of sleep and being forced to stay standing had taken its toll on both men. Aramis thought ahead, they would need to get them both across the town, back to the abandoned house. They could not stay where they were, they did not know how many men were involved in the plot to extract the information from Athos and Porthos. 

Getting away from the house was more important than getting Athos and Porthos comfortable. 

But with two potentially uncooperative Musketeers to manoeuvre, and being forced to use back streets the mission to save their brothers was not over yet. 

MMMM

They corralled the uncooperative Musketeers out of the back door of the house and returned to the alleyway. Unfortunately, the alleyway itself was a dead end, the neighbouring house had a garden wall, too tall to climb, that blocked off an easy escape for them.

‘We’ll have to go around the front,’ said Aramis. 

They urged Athos and Porthos along, but both men were struggling. Porthos was blinking frequently and Athos was just being stubborn. D’Artagnan guessed that the swordsman was confused.

‘Come on, Athos, we’re getting you to safety,’ hissed d’Artagnan when his brother refused to move forward. 

It was not until Aramis gave him a firm shove in the back that the man finally began to walk forward. D’Artagnan was reminded of Constance once saying she had struggled to shoo some feral cats out of her home, the creatures kept wandering in the opposite direction to where she wanted them to go. But unlike cats, which were somewhat easier to manoeuver, Athos could easily refuse to move completely.

They reached the road and paused. Porthos immediately leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Aramis shook him hard to keep him awake.

‘I’m sorry, but you cannot sleep yet,’ said Aramis quietly. 

Once d’Artagnan was sure there was no one in the vicinity he gathered Athos again and propelled him into the street and along it to the first side street where he hoped they would find a way out of the town. If they could get to the wood that ran along one side of the town they could at least move without being seen, they were far too exposed in their current position. 

‘You have caused us no end of trouble, you know that don’t you,’ said Athos who had twisted around and was pointing a slightly wavering finger at Aramis who looked a little confused. 

‘Going off by yourself and getting caught by the mercenaries. You could have been killed and we all had to risk our lives to save you...a week of stable duties was not enough...it should have been more. The whipping the mercenaries gave you doesn’t even come close to enough of a punishment.’

‘Athos be quiet,’ said d’Artagnan firmly. 

Athos was being louder than he usually was, the sound of his voice carrying in the silent darkness of the empty street. 

D’Artagnan looked back to Aramis who was trying and failing, not to show how much Athos’ words had affected him. 

The events the man had referred to were something both of them wished they could forget. Aramis had disobeyed an order, been captured by a gang of mercenaries and whipped by them. He still carried the scars on his back, a permanent reminder of the incident.

‘It’s the fatigue,’ said Aramis quietly, as he continued to help Porthos along the street. 

D’Artagnan noticed that even Porthos looked a little shocked at Athos’ words. 

‘And you are not much better,’ continued Athos directing his ire towards the younger man.

‘Shhh…’ said d’Artagnan, ‘you’ll get us noticed.’

‘Running around having affairs all over the place, not content with sleeping with him,’ Athos nodded his head towards Aramis, ‘you also take a married woman to your bed.’

D’Artagnan ignored the remark and continued to urge his friend along.

‘You are an embarrassment to the uniform,’ continued Athos, who was getting louder.

‘Shut up, Athos,’ said Porthos from behind them.

They reached a side road, d’Artagnan turned Athos into it, the man reluctantly allowed himself to be led along. He tried not to let the hateful words his friend was saying affect him, but they had. Was this how Athos really thought? Did he see his affair with Constance as an embarrassment?

And his vitriolic words aimed at Aramis, had he meant that as well? He knew Athos had been very upset by what Aramis had done, but to still be annoyed about it seemed harsh. The events he was referring to had happened nearly two years before. Aramis had more than redeemed himself since then. Athos was confused due to the treatment he had received, his memories were perhaps out of order? He could not have meant what he had said.

MMMM

‘...getting arrested for sodomy, you should have been more careful, you could have brought shame down on the whole garrison…’

‘That wasn’t even my fault,’ said Aramis, unable to hide his annoyance at the remark from Athos.

The confused delusional man was still spouting words of hate towards his friends. They had managed to get Athos and Porthos off the main street and were making their way along a back road, older smaller houses lined the road. They just had to hope Athos would not wake any of the residents. Aramis hoped the hard-working townsfolk slept heavily at night.

D’Artagnan had given up trying to get Athos to be quiet in favour of making him move faster. They were being forced to listen to his continued hurtful words. The incidents that Athos was referring too were all things Aramis wished he could forget, wished had never happened and did not want to be reminded of. But still, Aramis continued, although he had switched his attention back to d’Artagnan.

‘And what about you, confiding in me, telling me things that you do not want him to know because he might be upset. What kind of relationship have you got with him? I thought you were honest and told him everything...but you don’t do you?’

D’Artagnan glanced back, a guilty look on his face.

‘Don’t worry about it,’ said Aramis.

‘Not telling him what happened to Porthos.’

‘What?’ said Porthos loudly. ‘Don’t bring me into this.’

‘Not wanting to tell him that Porthos was assaulted when you two were held captive, because you were worried he would go after those men and kill them.’

‘Shut up Athos,’ said Porthos loudly.

‘Shhh…’ said Aramis, trying to calm him. 

Porthos clearly did not understand his friends intent.

‘Why are you doing this,’ said Porthos pushing Aramis away. ‘Just let me sit for a bit…’

‘No, Porthos,’ said Aramis as he took hold of Porthos again and tried to get him moving along the road. 

Without warning Porthos pulled back his arm and punched Aramis in the face, catching him across the cheek. Aramis stumbled back shocked, tripped over a low step and ended up sprawled on the cobbles. 

MMMM

‘I...I didn’t mean it,’ said Porthos, a look of shock on his face stepping towards Aramis who was staring up at him.

D’Artagnan let go of Athos who looked shocked as well. He pushed Porthos back a few steps, away from Aramis who was struggling to get to his feet. 

‘You alright?’

Blinking a few times and reaching up to feel his face Aramis nodded as he looked at Porthos warily.

‘Right,’ said Aramis firmly once d’Artagnan had let him go after ensuring he was not badly injured, ‘you two are going to be quiet until we get back to the house. One more word and I am going to knock you out and carry you back.’

‘I didn’t mean to hit you,’ said Porthos again, with a very contrite look on his face. 

‘I know,’ said Aramis, ‘now come on.’

D’Artagnan collected Athos, who seemed to have woken up a little after Porthos’ outburst. Athos allowed d’Artagnan to move him along the road without complaint. Aramis’ firm words seemed to have worked on both the men. D’Artagnan knew their behaviour was due to the sleep deprivation they were both suffering. It had manifested itself differently in each man, and being forced to stay awake even after their rescue had not helped. 

They progressed a little faster for a few minutes before the shock of Porthos hitting Aramis had abated. Porthos began to lag again, Aramis was practically holding the man up towards the end. As the house came into view both d’Artagnan and Aramis sighed with relief. 

MMMM

The tired men stumbled into the house and allowed themselves to be guided to the bed. Porthos tried to lie down straight away.

‘At least take your doublet and boots off,’ said Aramis.

‘I didn’t mean to hit you,’ said Porthos again as he fumbled to get his jacket undone.

‘I know...and now you can sleep, my friend.’

Porthos did not need telling twice. 

Aramis glanced across to Athos who was looking at him from the other side of the bed. Athos still looked confused. Aramis wondered if his brother would remember what he had said after he had rested. After a few seconds, Athos lay down. Both men were asleep in minutes. 

Aramis rose from where he had been sat on the edge of the bed. He watched the two sleeping Musketeers for a few seconds before turning to d’Artagnan.

‘I’m not rescuing them again,’ he said with a smile towards d’Artagnan. ‘It’s far too much trouble.’

D’Artagnan looked worried.

‘What he said...about me not telling you everything...I...’

‘It’s alright,’ said Aramis circling the bed and gathering the younger man into an embrace.

‘But, what he said was right, there are things I’ve not told you...and Porthos didn’t tell you...’

‘I guessed about Porthos, and I’ve never said anything because I knew why you weren’t telling me and I understood...at the time it was for the best,’ said Aramis as he pushed d’Artagnan to arms length. ‘And I understand that there would have been times when I was hurt or...depressed that you would have needed to talk to someone else...and I can’t think of anyone better than these two for you to speak with.’

Aramis nodded towards their brothers. 

‘Athos saying those things...of course he still thinks about things from the past, we all do...and his fatigue, it just brought things to the surface and his unusually talkative state just now...well we were the ones who were making him do things he didn’t want to so we got the brunt of his annoyance.’

D’Artagnan did not look placated.

‘It did hurt, to hear him speak about when those mercenaries...when I got caught by them...and I know how much what I did upset him. Although, I have to say I didn’t realise just how much he wanted me to be punished more severely for that.’

‘If you hadn’t been whipped by them, I think he would have tried to get Treville to have you flogged.’

It was Aramis’ turn to look concerned.

‘But you’ve more than made up for it since then, I’m sure he didn’t mean it...what he said.’

‘Sometimes I think it might be interesting to know what other people are thinking, but I think after today I’ve changed my mind. I prefer Athos to be quiet and keep his thoughts to himself.’

Aramis leaned into d’Artagnan and kissed him, the Musketeer kissed him back. The relief of finally getting their brothers safe washed over them both. Despite the fraught nature of their rescue and escape, and the unwitting words that Athos had spoken they had succeeded in their task. 

As they broke apart d’Artagnan could not stifle a yawn. Aramis smiled.

‘We may not be as tired as them, but I think we deserve a rest as well. I’ll take the first watch and wake you in a few hours.’

D’Artagnan nodded gratefully. Aramis could tell the man was struggling, he may have been nearly back to full strength but the pressure of the last few hours had taken its toll on him. 

MMMM

Athos opened his eyes slowly. He blinked a couple of times before turning his head to the right and seeing Porthos lying next to him. The Musketeer was asleep twisted slightly away from him. 

The swordsman went back to looking at the ceiling for a few seconds trying to work out where he was. He had a recollection of being very tired. Of struggling to think straight. 

He pushed himself up to sit. Athos noticed his brothers, both asleep, across the room from him. He could not help a gasp as the memories returned to him.

What had he done? What had he said?

The men who had taken them had kept them awake for hours. They were already starting to feel the toll of a days guard duty followed by the emergency assignment to liaise with a spy in the town. 

Was that really an excuse for his behaviour?

They had been kept restrained and constantly awake, with no letup, no rest. They could not sit down and were roughly awoken each time they fell asleep. 

He had been tired before. He had been awake for long periods during battle. But what they had endured after being captured had been different. They had information that the men wanted. The thought that the men would move on to more direct physical torture had played on his mind. The men would no doubt play them off against each other. But they were trained, each would have watched the other die before they gave the information over. 

Aramis and d’Artagnan had rescued them. Neither man should have been given the mission of recovering them, and yet there they were. And Athos remembered every hurtful, mean word he had said. 

Why had he said those things?

He did not think that way anymore, had not done so for a long time. Athos felt ashamed. He had implied that Aramis’ arrest and incarceration was his own fault. He had said that Aramis should have been punished more for his insubordination almost two years before. He had berated d’Artagnan for his affair with the woman he loved, an affair which they all wholeheartedly approved of.

Athos shook his head slowly. He did not know if he could make it up to his brothers. They had risked themselves to save him and he had repaid that risk with vitriolic abuse. 

Porthos stirred beside him. Athos turned to him as he made to sit up and gestured for him to be quiet, nodding toward Aramis and d’Artagnan.

‘What happened?’ asked Porthos quietly eyeing the two sleeping Musketeers with concern.

Athos looked at him for a few seconds as Porthos went through the same process of remembering as he had done. 

Porthos’ expression changed from confusion to concern. 

‘I punched Aramis...knocked him to the floor.’

Athos nodded, ‘and I was not particularly pleasant to either of them.’

Athos looked back toward his brothers. Aramis was sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, his gun held loosely in his right hand. A darkening bruise was spreading across his jaw and cheek where Porthos had hit him. His left hand was resting on d’Artagnan’s shoulder.

D’Artagnan was lying on the floor, on his side, his arm twisted in such a way that his hand was resting over Aramis’. 

Athos suspected neither man had intentionally moved into such a position. The need to remain in contact breaking through to their sleeping state.

‘They’ll know we didn’t mean it...won’t they?’

‘They have not yet abandoned us,’ replied Athos, ‘and I suspect they were supposed to be taking it in turns to stand watch.’

Porthos managed a smile, ‘guess Aramis was first.’

Athos slowly rose from the bed and collected Aramis and d’Artagnan’s cloaks from their saddlebags which were lying neatly next to his and Porthos’ own. He handed one to Porthos. They lay the cloaks over their brothers who did not move.

‘I wonder why Treville let them come? D’Artagnan is not fully fit yet and Aramis has only been back full time for a couple of days.’

Athos returned to sit on the bed after collecting a water skin. 

‘They would have volunteered,’ said Athos, ‘coerced Treville into letting them come and get us...we would have done the same.’

Porthos smiled, ‘and that is exactly why neither of them will hold any blame against us for what we did.’

Porthos joined Athos on the bed accepting the waterskin from his friend. They sat in silence for a few seconds. 

‘You didn’t mean it…’ said Porthos, ‘what you said to him. He’ll know that.’

Athos nodded, ‘I know. I feel guilty, but we have all done similar things in similar situations.’

Porthos looked at his brothers for a few more seconds before speaking again.

‘Neither of them are paying their way for a while. We owe them.’

Athos nodded, ‘I couldn’t agree more.’

The End.

**Author's Note:**

> Aramis was captured and whipped in ‘Insubordination’; Aramis was arrested for sodomy in ‘Breaking Point’; the assault on Porthos was in ‘Vengeance’.
> 
> The next story will involve our lovers having some alone time. They need a break from getting hurt and worried about each other.


End file.
